

HANDWRITING 

Measurements 
Standards and 
Methods 


REPORT AND RESULTS OF 

CHILLICOTHE, OHIO 
SURVEYS IN WRITING 










Each specimen in this monograph was written in two minutes and reproduced 
photographically, such as on this page reduced about one-third m photograph¬ 
ing in order to economize space in printing. 

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8-A Grade-Form, 75% ; Movement, 83% (119 letters); Quality, 79%. 

Thirty-five words a minute, even more than legible, is next to the phenom¬ 
enal. A dynamic teacher, an alert pupil, well-balanced pedagogy and practice, are 
the secrets of super-excellence in speed or form or a combination of the two. 


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8-B Grade—Form, 64%; Movement, 122%, (174 letters); Quality, 93%. 



The Purpose and Value of Handwriting Measurements, 
How to Make Them, and Goal-Medians of Achievement 
According to Age or Grade and Need or Efficiency 


Comparison stimulates intelligence and initiation. Goals are 
something to aim at and aspire to. The value of educational meas¬ 
urements is that they encourage and confirm the strong and stimulate 
the weak, by providing objectives and how to attain them. 

The purpose of this publication is (1) to encourage Handwrit¬ 
ing Measurements, (2) to show how to make them, (3) to provide 
adequate standards or goals, and (4) to show what one city (Chilli- 
cothe) has done to raise the standard of writing on the part of regu¬ 
lar teachers. 

We will let Superintendent F. J. Prout explain briefly and show 
concretely just what he has accomplished, and how, following which 
we present an improved plan with higher objectives than he found 
available and which he has helped us materially to formulate: 


WRITING SURVEYS IN THE CHILLICOTHE, OHIO. PUBLIC SCHOOLS 
By F. J. Prout, Supt. Chillicothe Schools. 

The teachers’ manuals of the present day writing systems are so practical 
that the teacher may be quite sure of good results in her writng work, even if her 
own penmanship is not of the best. The problem here is to get persistent, care¬ 
ful study and application of the manual instructions. In the past school year 
to insure such effort we mapped out a program of four writing surveys. These 
surveys iwere to chart the progress in grades 3-B to 8-A inclusive, of the writ¬ 
ing in each room, both in speed and quality. The first survey was held on 
September 14, six days after the opening of school. At 8:30, on the morning 
of this day each of the principals in the five grade buildings went into one of 
the rooms and conducted the survey as follows: 

1. Each child was given a sheet of ruled ink paper, at the top of which 
he recorded his name, age, grade and building. 

2. With pens in hand, the principal told the children 'that all starting at 
the same moment, they would be given exactly two minutes to write the familiar 
nursery rhyme, “Mary had a little lamb,” as many times as they could. They 
were cautioned that not only were they to write rapidly, but the quality must be 
the best possible. At the given signal the class wrote as directed. All stopped 
upon a signal from the principal at the end of 120 seconds. The papers were col¬ 
lected by the teacher. In like manner the other rooms were visited by the princi¬ 
pal. The teacher of each room, that evening, counted the number of letters written 
by each child in the two-minute exercise and divide this number by two. This 
gave a statement of the speed in letters per minute. This speed score was marked 
at a specified place at the top of the paper. The papers were now sent to the 
Superintendent’s office. The speed scores of each child in each room were there 
tallied upon the following form sheet. 



1 


















From this sheet the median* speed score was easily found, and this became 
the score for the room and the teacher. From all the form tally sheets of each 
grade the median score for that grade was found, and designated Chillicothe 
Median. Thorndike had determined from thousands of papers gotten in similar 
exercises, what the median speed score in each grade is, in 28 cities. This is 
known as the 28-cities Score. We now were able to determine, 

(1) How the Chillicothe Median Speed Score of each grade compared with 
the 28-cities Median Speed Score of this grade. 

(2) How each teacher’s room stood in comparison (a) with this 28-cities 
Score, and (b) with the other teachers of her grade in our city. These results 
were tabulated, and show at a glance the comparisons referred to above. 

* The “Median” is the score of the middle paper when the specimens are arranged in the 
order of the highest grade down to the lowest, or vice versa. The Median paper of a group of 
eleven is the sixth ; of twelve, the average of the sixth and seventh. 


RESULTS OF WRITING TEST SEPT. 14, 1917 
Speed Grade 


8-A 

Miss Rooney -79 

Miss McGinty -75 

28-cities Median -83 

Chillicothe Median -75 

8-B 

Miss Burkline _85.5 

28-cities Median _79 

Miss McGinty _75 

Chillicothe Median_70 _ 

Miss Chapman _64 

Mrs. Hayes _59.5 

Miss Rooney _58.5 

7-A 

Miss Powell _85 

Miss Palmer _82 

Chillicothe Median _—_75 

28-cities Median _75 

Miss Burkline _70.5 

Miss Rinehart _62 

7 B 

Miss Palmer -79 

Miss Floyd _i—83 

Miss Rinehart _77.5 

Miss Powell _76 

Chillicothe Median _75 

28-cities Median _70 

Mi's. Greene _64 

Mrs. Hayes -54 

6-A 

Miss Wetzel _76 

Mrs. Greene _73.5 

Miss Floyd _72 

28-cities Median _64 


Chillicothe Median_—64 

Miss M. Knab_59.5 

Miss Carr _ 61 

Miss Organ _ 55 

6-B 

Miss Wetzel _74 

Miss Stevens Dept _ 72 

Miss M. Knab_65 

Miss Carr___63 

Mr. Williams _ 63 

Chillicothe Median _ 64 

Miss Organ _ 58 

Miss Daily _ 53 

28-cities Median _ _61 

5-A 

Miss Falter _ 90 

Chillicothe Median_-63.5 

Mi's. Presnell, Dept _ 63 

28-cities Median _ 57 

Miss Stevens, Dept_63 

Miss Cook _54.5 

Ivraft, Dept. _72 

Miss Falter _65 

Mr. Williams/ _ 64 # 

Miss Brown _ 63 

Miss Cook _ 60.5 

5-B 

Chillicothe Median _60 

Miss Cook Dept_,_54 

28-cities Median__52 

Miss W. Noth_53 


4 A 

Miss Jones _ 67.5 

Miss Haynes _53 

Chillicothe Median_50 

Miss Kraft, Dept_47 

28-cities Median _47 

Miss Orth _35.5 

4 B 

Miss Kern _63 

Miss Huffman _56 

Miss Jones _ 54 

Miss Haynes _50.5 

Chillicothe Median _49 

2 8-cities Median _48 

Miss Medley _45 

Miss Orth _40 

Miss McCoy _39.5 

Miss Swartz _37 

3-A 

Miss Black _64 

Chillicothe Median_47 - 

Miss Huffman _46 

Miss McCoy _45 

28-cities Median _ 38 

Miss E. Knab_31 

3-B 

Miss Galaliett _ 62 

Miss Black _ 45 

Chillicothe Median_39 

28-cities Median_35 

Miss Andrews _38 

Miss Sullivan _ 34 

Miss Medley _33.3 

Miss Bentz _ 33 

Miss Plumly _27 


The next step was to get the quality scores. This was done at the Super¬ 
intendent’s office, by comparing each child’s exercise with samples of writing on 
the Scale sheet. When we found the sample on the Scale sheet which most 
nearly resembled the child’s effort, the score on this Scale sheet which repre¬ 
sented that sample was marked on the back of the child’s paper. The papers 
of a room were thus graded for quality. Then they were gone over a second 
time, and new scores given without being aware of the first scores. The aver- 
age of these scores was the final score given the child. The median quality score 
for the room and for each grade was next determined. Tabulations were made, 
from which comparisons were instantly available. These quality tabulations 
are as follows: 


RESULTS 


8-A 

Miss McGinty _ 9 

Miss Rooney _ 11.7 

Chillicothe Median _ 10 

28-cities Median _ 10.9 

8-B 

Miss Chapman _ 11 

Miss Rooney _10.5 

Miss Burkline _ 10.2 

Mrs. Hayes _ 9.8 

Miss McGinty _ 9.2 

Chillicothe Median _ 10.5 

28-cities Median --10.7 

7-A 

28-cities Median _10.4 


OF WRITING TEST 

4 

Quality Grade 


Chillicothe Median _10 

Miss Burkline _10 

Miss Rinehart _9.7 

Miss Powell _ 9.5 

Miss Palmer _9.2 

7-B 

Mrs. Greene _10.2 

28-cities Median _10.1 

Miss Powell _10 

Miss Rinehart _9.7 

Miss Floyd _9.7 

Chillicothe Median _9.5 

Miss Palmer _9 

Mrs. Hayes___8.5 


. 14, 1917 


6-A 

Miss Organ _ 10.5 

28-cities Median _ 9.8 

Miss M. Knab _ 9.5 

Miss Carr _ 9.2 

Mrs. Greene _ 9 

Chillicothe Median _ 9 

Miss Wetzel _ 8.5 

Miss Floyd _ 8 

6-B 

28-cities Median _ 9.6 

Miss Organ _ 9 

Mr. Williams _ 9 

Miss Carr _ 9 

Miss Daily _ g.g 


2 
























































































































Miss Knab _8.5 

Miss Wetzel _8.5 

Chillicothe Median _8.5 

Miss Stevens, Dept_8 

5-A 

28-cities Median _9.3 

Mrs. Presness, Dept_9 

Miss Cook _8.8 

Miss Stevens, Dept_8.5 

Chillicothe Median _8.5 

Miss Falter _7.5 

5-B 

Miss Noth__10 

Miss Brown _9.2 

28-cities Median _9 

Mr. Williams _8.5 

Miss Cook _8.5 

Chillicothe Median _8.5 

Miss Falter _ t _8 


Miss Kraft, Dept_8 

Miss Cook, Dept _ 8 

4-A 

Miss Haynes _ 9.5 

28-cities Median _ 8.7 

Kraft, Dept. _ 8.5 

Chillicothe Median ___ 8.5 

Miss Jones _ 7.8 

Miss Orth _ 7.7 

4-B 

Miss Huff ff man _ 9 

Miss Haynes _ 9 

Miss McCoy _ 9 

Miss Medley _ 8.7 

Chillicothe Median _8.5 

2S-cities Median _ 8.5 

Miss Jones _ 8 

Mi$s Swartz _ 8 

Miss Kern _ 8 

Miss Orth _ 7.7 


3-A 


Miss Huffman _ 9 

Chillicothe Median _ 8.5 

28-cities Median _ 8.2 

Miss E. Knab _ 8 

Miss McCoy _ 8 

Miss Black _ 8 

3-B 

Miss Sullivan _9 

Miss Plumly _9 

Miss Andrews _9 

Miss Black _8.5 

Miss Medley _ 8.5 

Chillicothe Median _ 8.5 

Miss Bentz _ 8.2 

28-cities Median _ 7.9 

Miss Galliett _ 8 


By a system which Thorndike has worked out, the speed and quality scores 
were now combined and were expressed in a single composite score as follows: 

WRITING SURVEY SEPT. 14, 1917 
Composite Grades 


' 8-A 

Miss McGinty _ 66 

Miss Rooney _ 86 

Chillicothe Median _ __73 

28-Cities Median _ 83 

8-B 

Miss Chapman _ 74 

Miss Rooney _ ,68 

Miss Burkline - 79 

Mrs. Hayes _ 64 

Miss McGinty - 66 

Chillicothe Median _ 74 

28-cities Median _ 80 

7-A 

28-cities Median _ 73 

Chillicothe Median _75 

Miss Burkline _ 71 

Miss Rinehart _65 

Miss Powell _ 74 

Miss Palmer _70 

7-B 

Mrs. Greene _ 68 

28-cities Median —_ 71 

Miss Powell _ 73 

Miss Rinehart _ 73 

Miss Floyd _ 75 

Chillicothe Median _ 69 

Miss Palmer - 68 

Mrs. Hayes - 52 

6-A 

Miss Organ - 63 

28-cities Median _ 67 

Miss M. Knab - 62 

Miss Carr - 60 

Mrs. Greene —- 65 


Chillicothe Median _60 

Miss Wetzel _63 

Miss Floyd _57 

6-B 

28-cities Median_63 

Miss Organ _57 

Mr. Williams _60 

Miss Carr _60 

Miss Daily _51 

Miss Knab _ 57 

Miss Wetzel _62 

Chillicothe Median _57 

Miss Stevens, Dept_57 

5-A 

28-cities Median _59 

Mrs. Presnell, Dept_60 

Miss Cook __53 

Miss Stevens, Dept_56 

Chillicothe Median _57 

Miss Falter _62 

5-B 

Miss Noth _ 62 

Miss Brown _61 

28-cities Median —_54 

Mr. Williams _57 

Miss Cook _55 

Chillicothe Median _60 

Miss Falter _53 

Miss Kraft, Dept_57 

Miss Cook, Dept_48 

4-A 

Miss Haynes _58 

28-cities Median _49 


Miss Kraft, Dept_48 

Chillicothe Median_—46 

Miss Jones _ 53 

Miss Orth - 38 

4-B 

Miss Huffman _ 56 

Miss Haynes _54 

Miss McCoy _ 48 

Miss Medley _ 48 

Chillicothe Median _ 49 

28-cities Median - 46 

Miss Jones __ 48 

Miss Swartz _ 39 

Miss Kern _ 52 

Miss Orth _ * _ 39 

3-A 

Miss Huffman _51 

Chillicothe Median _48 

28-cities Median _41 

Miss E. Knab _ 36 

Miss McCoy _ 43 

Miss Black _,_ 53 

3-B 

Miss Sullivan _ 45 

Miss Plumly - 42 

Miss Andrews _47 

Miss Black _ 47 

Miss Medley _42 

Chillicothe Median _ 44 

Miss Bentz _ 38 

28-cities Median _37 

Miss Galliett _ 52 


Before the mimeographed results were sent to the teachers, a graph of these 
results was made, showing the speed and quality and composite results in each 
grade compared with the 28-cities Scores of that grade. These graphs follow: 


QUALITY 




3 













































































































































































COMPOSITE 


9 5 
65 
7 5 
b 5 
55 
45 
3 5 

3 B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 66 6A /B 7A 8B 8A 

Five days after the survey had been made by the principals these tabulated 
results and graphs were put into the hands of each teacher. She saw at a 
glance whether or not her room was up to standard. If not up to standard, her 
job during the year now before her was to improve the work of her children 
so that by June the room would be up to, or ahead of, the 28-cities Score. In this 
effort her problem was to know which boys and girls were below standard. The 
papers from her room gave her that information at once, and the graph sheets 
showed the children by diagram how much each one was above or below the 
standard in speed and quality. 




Her instructions then became largely individual. Pupils whose quality was 
good, but whose speed was too low, were hurried up; those who wrote as rapidly 
as the standard were made to emphasize quality. All were urged to improve 
before the next survey. 


Surveys should aid Teacher and Pupil 


4 








































































This second survey was given on the 2'2nd day of November. The copy 
was changed to “Boy Biue, come blow your horn.” The methods of conducting 
the survey and stating the results were the same as for the first survey. Wiien 
tabulations were in the teachers’ hands they were able to see not only how they 
compared with the 28-cities Score, the Chillicothe Median, and each other, but also 
how much progress they had made since September 14. The graphs and tabu¬ 
lations for this survey are here given. 

COMPARISON OF WRITING SURVEYS 
Sept. 14 and Nov. 22, 1917 






0 






0 

Speed, 

Sept. 

Speed, 

Nov. 

Quality, 

Sept. 

Quality, 

Nov. 

Composit 

Grade 

Nov. 


Speed, 

Sept. 

Speed, 

Nov. 

Quality, 

Sept. 

Quality, 

Nov. 

Composit 

Grade 

Nov. 


I 

8-A 

Chillicothe 

Rooney. 

79 

108 

11.7 

10 

89 

Median 

75 

102 

10. 

10.2 

87.7 

McGinty.. . 

75 

100 

9 

10 

85 

Chapman... 

28 Cities 
Median 

83 

81.7 

83 

10.9 

11.2 

10.9 

84.6 

83 

8-B 

Hayes. 

59.5 

103.5 

9.8 

10.5 

90.2 

Burkline_ 

85.5 

98 

10.2 

10.5 

87.5 

Chapman- 

64 

9.5 

11 

11 

87.2 

McGinty. 

75 

89 

9.2 

11 

86.5 

Chillicothe 

Median 

70 

92 

10.5 

10.5 

84.5 

McLaughlin— 

64 

91.5 

11 

10 

80 7 

28 Cities 

Median. —. 

79 

79 

10.7 

10.7 

80 

Rooney . 

58.5 

85 

10.5 

10 

77.5 

7-A 

Burkline__ 

70.5 

80 

10 

11 

82 

McLaughlin. 

85 

92.7 

9.5 

9.7 

79.3 

Rinehart _ 

62 

77 

9.7 

10.7 

78.5 

Chillicothe 
Median_ 

75 • 

75 

10.4 

10.4 

75 

28 Cities 
Median..... 

75 

85.2 

10 

9.5 

74.1 

Barrington. 

82 

99.5 

9.2 

9 

77.7 

7-B 

Hayes . 

54 

86 

8.5 

11 

91.7 

Haynes. 

76 

92 

10 

10.2 

82 

Rinehart... . 

77.5 

80 

9.7 

10.5 

78.5 

Floyd. 

83 

72 

9.7 

11 

78 

Chillicothe . 
Median. 

75 

86 

9.5 

10. 

78 

Greene. 

64 

84 

10.2 

10 

77 

Palmer.. 

79 

90 

9. 

9.5 

76.5 

28 Cities 

Median...„ . 

70 

70 

10.1 

10.1 

71 

6-A 

Carr.----- 

61 

72 

9.2 

10.5 

74.5 

Greene. 

73.5 

92.5 

9. 

9. 

74.2 

Chillicothe 
Median . 

64 

74.5 

9. 

10. 

72.2 

Wetzel. 

76 

78 

8.5 

9.5 

70 5 

May Knab- 

59.5 

72 

9.5 

10 

71 

Floyd _ 

72 

70 

8 . 

10 

70 

28 Cities 

Median . 

65 

65 

9.8 

9.8 

67 

6-B 

Williams—... 

63 

74 

9 

11 

79 

Organ... 

58 

74 

9 

11 

79 

Dept. Stevens.. 

72 

94.2 

8 

9.5 

78.6 

May Knab 

65 

93 

8.5 

9.5 

78 

Wetzel. 

74 

86 

8.5 

10 

78 

Carr. — 

63 

84 

9 

10 

77 

Chillicothe 
Median . 

64 

84 

8.5 

10 

77 

Daily . 

53 

84 

8.5 

9. 

70 

28 Cities 

Median... . 

61 

61 

9.6 

9.6 

7.3 


5-A 

Dept. Stevens . 

63 

84 

8.5 

10. 


Dept. Presnell 

63 

84.7 

9. 

9.5 

73.8 

Chillicothe 

Median 

63.5 

84 

8.5 

9.5 

73.5 

Cook 

54.5 

76 

8.8 

9.5 

69.5 

Falter 

90 

72 

7.5 

9.5 

67.5 

28 Cities 
Median 

57 

57 

9.3 

9.3 

59 

5-B 

Dept. Kraft 

72 

101.5 

8. 

9.5 

82.2 

Brown . 

63 

96 

9.2 

9.5 

79.5 

Chillicothe 
Median. 

60 

84 

8.5 

9.5 

73.5 

Falter . 

65 

74.5 

8. 

10 

72.2 

Dept. Cook_ 

54 

72 

8. 

10. 

71 

Noth.. 

53 

71.5 

10 

9.5 

67.2 

Cook. 

60.5 

84 

8.5 

8.5 

66.5 

Williams_ 

64 

60 

8.5 

10. 

65 

28 Cities 
Median 

52 

52 

9 

9 

54 

4-A 

Dept. Kraft. 

47 

82 

8.5 

9.2 

67 

Jones. 

67.5 

84 

7.8 

9 

65 

Caldwell 

53 

69.5 

9.5 

9 

62.7 

Chillicothe 

Median 

50 

61 

8.5 

9.5 

62 

Orth . . 

35.5 

47.5 

7.7 

9.5 

55.2 

28 Cities 
Median. 

47 

.47 

8.7 

8.7 

49 

4-B 

Huffman.. 

56 

81 

9 

9.5 

72 

Kern 

63 

77 

8 

9.5 

70 

Chillicothe 

Median 

49 

68 

8.5 

9.5 

65.5 

Caldwell. 

50.5 

74 

9 

9 

65 

McCoy. 

39.5 

58 

9 

10 

64 * 

Jones. . 

54 

72 

8 

9 

64 

Medley. 

45 

53.5 

8.7 

10 

61.7 

Swartz. 

37 

51 

8 

9.5 

57 

Orth . 

40 

48.5 

7.7 

9.7 

57.2 

28 Cities 
Median 

43 

43 

8.5 

8.5 

46 

3-A 

Huffman 

46 

60 

9 

9.5 

61.5 

Black.. 

64 

66 

8 

9 

61 

McCoy. 

45 

56 

8 

9.5 

59.5 

Chillicothe 

Median 

47 

60 

8.5 

9. 

58 

Esther Knab.... 

31 

55 

8 

8.5 

52 

28 Cities 

Median . 

38 

38 

8.2 

8.2 

41 

3-B 

Sullivan. 

34 

62 

9 

9 

59 

Barrington 

45 

61 

8.5 

8.5 

55 

Galliett. 

62 

54 

8 

9 

55 

Plumly. 

27 

35 

9 

10 

52.5 

Chillicothe 

Median 

39 

49 

8.5 

9. 

52.5 

Andrews. 

38 

48 

9. 

9. 

52 

Bentz. 

33 

46 

8.2 

9. 

51 

Medley. 

33 3 

41.5 

8.5 

9 

48.7 

28 Cities 
Median 

35 

35 

7.9 

7.9 

37 


6 



























































































































QUALITY 



SPEED, LETTERS PER I'llNU'n 



Cm 

1 L LIC 

:o*n 

IE 

EDI, 

5 

ov. 

£PT. 

’ 17 





-cr 

’1 £5 , 



N 

A 






\ 









/ 

7 ^ 










7^ 























JB 3A 4B 4-A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 8B 8A 



3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 8B 8A 


Notice that the Grades 7-A, 8-B and 8-A have lost in quality, and gone way 
up in speed. The tabulations show which teachers were responsible for this. 
They in turn placed the responsibility upon the guilty students; and in the third 
survey of February 8, this situation was changed satisfactorily, as shown in 
the following graphs. 




3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A feB f»A 7B 7A 86 6A 



3B 3A 4B> 4A 5B 5A feB 6A 76 7A 8B 8A 


Concrete and Convincing Graphs 


6 
































































































































The last survey was given May 7. 



3B 3A 4B 4A 5 B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 8B 8A 


The 



3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 86 8A 



3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 8B-8A 


This time it is to be noted, we prepared graphs which showed the city scores 
of September in quality, speed and composite grade, in comparison with May. 
This gave us a picture of the year’s growth. 


QUALITY 



• Cm 

ILL! 

-OT 

HE 

mec 

IAN 

Ma 

se 


7 

/ 



























\ 






7 










7 










7 










/ 
















3B 3A 4B 4A 56 5A 6B 6A 7B 7A 88 8A 


SPEED, letters per minute 


1 1 m? 

105 

95 

85 

7 5 

65 

55 

45 

35 


-Ch 

ILU|< 

:or> 

[e r> 

lEOI 

AN 

SEF 

Ma 

T. ’1 

r ’l 

7. 

0. 











































/ 





































38 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 6B 6A 76 7A 06 8A 



3B 3A 4B 4A 5B 5A 66 6A 7B 7A 86 8A 


Missouri-like Educational Proofs 


7 







































































































































In the final paragraphs of the discussion of this topic, one should emphasize 
the very obvious stimulus which comes from such successive comparative meas¬ 
urements. The teachers are stimulated as possibly nothing else can stimulate 
them. They enjoy comparing their results and progress with that of their fel¬ 
low-teachers, and with the country at large. The youngsters are stimulated, 
indeed they worked out of school hours in order to improve, and so help bring up 
their class room scores. 

We have had no writing supervisor in this school system for the last two 
years. This measuring system goes far towards making one unnecessary. The 
Zaner manuals which we are using make it possible for any teacher, with proper 
effort on her part, to teach writing successfully. This measurement of results 
furnishes all the stimulus needed to insure that thorough study and use of the 
manual. Indeed I venture that more intensive study this year has been made 
of the manuals by the teachers than in all the preceding five years put together. 

The labor of conducting these surveys and preparing the tabulations is not 
so great but that any school organization can take care of it. The extra expense 
for our four surveys for extra labor was approximately $45.00. The school sys¬ 
tems which inaugurate some such survey scheme and carry it through success¬ 
fully, will be very richly repaid for the time, effort and money that will be 
involved. 

_ F. J. PROUT. 

The Thorndyke Scale was used in Chillicothe to make the measurements, but proved of no 
value in the primary grades, hence no measurements were made in grades One and two. 

“Educational Measurements” by Daniel Starch, was used as a basis of comparison and trans¬ 
lations from points into per cent. 

The “28-cities Median” is the findings of results some years ago in 28 cities, in which 
evidently the penmanship was poor rather than good. 

The specimens presented show an almost phenomenal high rate of speed and an unusually 
good quality" of form considering the speed . Not the average but the better specimens were 
selected for reproduction. (C. P. Z.) 

NEW FORM, MOVEMENT AND QUALITY, HANDWRITING GRAPHS AND 
GOALS ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS 



8 






























Per cent 
Coefficient 


DIRECTIONS FOR SECURING THE PERCENTAGE OF MOVEMENT OR 
SPEED (Letters Per Minute). 

To convert movement or speed into per cent. 

The per cent for each grade is obtained by multiplying 
the letters per minute by the per cent coefficient for the 
grade. 

Example: A 7-A pupil has a speed score of 84. The 
per cent coefficient for the seventh grade (see table) is 
7/9. Thus, 84X7/9=65^%. 


School 

Grade 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 


7/3 

7/4 

7/5 

7/6 

7/7 

7/8 

7/9 

7/10 


The passing per cent for each grade is 70%. In Grade One, 
the number of letters is 30, there fore, each letter is equal to 
7/3%. 


THE ZANER HANDWRITING SCALES AND STANDARDS 

The three Form, Movement and Quality Graphs shown herewith, were con¬ 
structed from measurements made in accordance with the Zaner Handwriting 
Scales. (Scale One is for Grades One and Two. Scale Three is for Grades Three 
and Four. Scale Five is for Grammar Grades and High Schools. Price, post¬ 
paid, 1 scale, 25 cents; 3 scales, 50 cents; per dozen, $1.28.) 

The Specimens of Handwriting shown herewith were measured by the Zaner 
Scales and Standards, with the results indicated thereon. For the first time, 
specimens from all grades can be measured in Form and Movement and con¬ 
verted into per cent by simple methods and in conformity with school-room custom 
and need. 


Form and* Movement Need to Balance 


9 
























DIRECTIONS FOR SECURING THE QUALITY VALUE OR COMPOSITE 

SCORE 

To Find the Quality or Composite Score. 

Add the per cent for form to the per cent for movement or speed and divide 
by two; this gives the per cent for quality. 


QUALITY GRAPH 


SHOWING COMPOSITE SPEED AND FORM 
MEDIAN STANDARDS OR VALUES. 


QUALITY RELATES TO SPEED OR MOVEMENT AS WELL AS TO FORM. 
QUALITY IS A COMBINATION OF FORM AND MOVEM ENT VALUES. 


/° \ Z 3 4- 5 6 7 & 



COMPARATIVE QUALITY VALUES EXPRESSED IN FIGURES AND 
SHOWN IN QUALITY GRAPH 


School 

Grade 

Form 

% 

Movement 
Letters per Min. 

Zaner 

- Quality - 

Chillicothe 

28-Cities 

1 

65 

30 

67%% 

58% 

32% 

2 

65 

40 

67 y 2 

61 

40 

3 

65 

50 

67% 

72 

43 

4 

66 

60 

68 

67 

46 

5 

67 

70 

68% 

70 

50 

6 

68 

80 

69 

73 

52 

7 

69 

90 

69% 

71 

55 

8 

70 

100 

70 

74 

58 


The Chillicothe Survey indicates a number of important things: 

First, that the 28-cities median, or so-called standard, is too 
low as a standard for efficient instruction in writing (and we have 
no moral right to aim below efficiency). 

Second, that the Thorndike and Ayres Scales are not suited to 
lower grades. 

Third, that Chillicothe stimulated speed at the expense of form. 

Fourth, that surveys made in the right spirit and manner stimu¬ 
late and improve the teaching and the writing. 

10 





























The author of the Zaner Method of Writing has been studying' 
for a number of years the problem of standards in writing from the 
viewpoint of the teacher and learner, and as a result of this experi¬ 
ence in connection with a number of specialists and teachers, based 
upon school-room results, certain standards have been decided upon 
for form and for movement as shown in the three preceding graphs. 

These standards are upon a 100 per cent basis, 65 to 70 being 
passing grades in form according to age and grade, and 30 to 100 
letters a minute being passing grades in speed according to age and 
grade. 

These minimum passing standards are the result of wide observa¬ 
tion, special study, examination of thousands of specimens of writ¬ 
ing from the first to the twelfth grade, and careful comparison with 
well-known published scales, survey reports, etc. 

The standard of form or quality is based upon legibility and 
sightliness, and the standard of movement or speed is based upon 
mental alertness and manual skill. 

In examining the Zaner Form Graph, the natural question will 
be, “Why does the 28-cities median start so low, and why does the 
Zaner median start so high ?” 

The answer is simple. Most, if not all, of the 28-cities median 
was the result of teaching small writing to children in the first and 
second grades, whereas the Zaner median is the result of teaching 
larger writing to children than to adults. 

Two things make writing the most difficult universal, artificial 
art that humanity has to acquire—size and speed, for writing is the 
smallest and speediest art everyone is expected to acquire. 

Enlarging writing and reducing the speed makes it less difficult 
and thereby brings it within child capacity. It but recognizes and 
practices the fundamental principle, discovered and announced a 
quarter of a century or so ago by G. Stanly Hall or some other edu¬ 
cational seer, that “child writing should be as much larger than adult 
writing as the child is smaller than the adult.” This means capacity 
as well as size or age of child, and it is as true of speed as of size. 

Large writing for children means not only better formation, but 
better movement, as it makes possible the use of the arm muscles 
from the start instead of those of the fingers, and it thereby reduces 
the tendency to grip abnormally. 

Fortunately, therefore, larger writing for the child than for the 
adult promotes better form and better movement which means bet¬ 
ter health, easier reading, swifter writing, and higher efficiency in 
the beginning as well as in the end. 

The Zaner Writing Scales and Standards conform to and confirm 
that educational doctrine that the child should be instructed in the 
light of its immediate limitations and needs and not that of remote 
adult capacity, which is the result of training and growth. 

But the Zaner Method, Scales, and Standards not only start the 
child right, but see to it that writing conditions progress as he grows 
and achieves, and it thus ends right. They feature the same kind of 
perception (form) and performance (movement) from the begin¬ 
ning to the end, increasing the quality (form) and intensity (speed) 
from year to year. For as size is reduced, quality and effort is in- 
increased, and as speed is increased, intensity of effort is also in- 


li 



creased. Gradual reduction in size of form from year to year, par¬ 
ticularly in the primary grades, automatically stimulates finer co¬ 
ordination of mental and manual effort and higher speed. The im¬ 
provement from year to year, is one of quality and intensity of effort 
rather than of form and movement, as these are made possible al¬ 
most from the start through 
large writing which promotes 
legibility and freedom from 
the beginning. 

Sizes as well as exercises 
are employed to promote form 
and movement. Sizes serve 
as the basis of progress in the 
primary grades, and exercises 
as the basis of improvement 
in the grammar grades. 

The message and secret of 
efficiency is larger writing for 
children than adults; Scales 
based upon age and need; 

Zaner Goal Medians and 
Standards to aspire to and 
measure by; and Zaner 
Method Manuals to provide 
pedagogic and practical gener¬ 
alities and details for the 
teachers. 


The Chillicothe Survey re¬ 
veals by comparison that the 
Zaner Method of Writing pos¬ 
sesses not only high form 
qualities from the beginning 
to the finishing grades, but 
even higher speed possibilities 
in all grades. Form, Move¬ 
ment and Quality are co-or¬ 
dinated and balanced in such 
proportions as to serve writ¬ 
ten language work from year 
to year. 


COPIES 

of this monograph can 
be had for 10 cents by 
addressing the publish¬ 
ers—Zaner & Bloser Co., 
Columbus, Ohio 


12 


3-A Grade—Form, 65% ; Movement, 116% (83 letters per minute) ; Quality, 91% 




These remarkable specimens are the culmination of arm movement, large writing in the primary grades. Form 
was subordinated to excessive speed, but not at the expense of legibility. 



13 


4-A Grade—Form, 75%; Movement, 152% (130% letters); Quality, 114%. 

Such writing stimulates mental alertness and is far more serviceable for language expression than slow, 
cramped, labored effort. This specimen and speed would do credit to an eighth grade pupil and teacher, 














Writing' of this nature is healthful as well as efficient because posture is good and arm and fingers co-operate 
to maintain legibility and attain speed, for arm action is necessary for ease in order to maintain speed. 



14 


When the surveys were planned and the tests given, no idea was entertained by Supt. Prout, teachers, or pupils 
that these specimens would be worthy of publicity. 






jLo'twJs shx^As iJ^XXT^eXy X2yzZ> 




ijtdc; 


C<47W. 

<£L- CytXx^ue^t- - 
Ctr'l/vxJi^t- 

(|Wn/t/ /X&yfc- ^?si/ 60* (X<rXn^z^L~ 
Mv^y^yyy ^Ly Cirt^-X^y. 

J/irfyl'l&zS xXx^y yi^y (x^ Cxr^^c^ 
yX-ojb ^7^" tfO' CxTy. T^U^L- . 
Qfx'(Xy Q^lxyu^c- 


6-A Grade—Form, 72%; Movement, 105% (120 letters); Quality, 89%. 



Twenty-four words in a minute, written as well as the above, is no mean 
accomplishment. Can you beat it? 


Quality and Quantity Should be Equal 



Little Jack Horner did something more than sit in a corner when he co¬ 
ordinated effort well and rapidly enough to produce the above 232 letters in two 
minutes, or about 750 strokes and motions in two minutes. 


15 




These results didn’t “just happen.” Nor are they the result of special super¬ 
vision, or over work. They are the product of well-planned, co-ordinated, day-in 
and day-out work in writing, spelling and language work. 




yyy ay 


Jyjy6^y JLayyfcy y^ATy^AZy y2yzJ^ yOn/ OLy 

^cyXLs/Z' Ayyy <yy 

c JyyCXz£y^yyyy^y'' -yyt Zyyyyyy'y'. 

yyy ala y^y^LyUAy 
Jyy&&Ey ^Jlayy^y JtKyyyi&y' yyyy <yy <2yytyyy/iy 


&y 


7-A Grade—Form, 75%; Movement, 100% (128 letters); Quality, 88%. 

The individuality in many of the specimens is marked, bespeaking emphasis 
upon essentials and the soft pedal on the non-essentials. 



7-A Grade—Form, 70%; Movement, 95% (122 letters); Quality, 83%. 


Who’s going to furnish us with as interesting, authoritative, stimulating, and 
surprising survey, accurately taken, as Supt. PFout has this year? 




Thirty-one words a minute is a good gait for a telegrapher or a bill clerk, but how about a sixth grade pupil 
pen-motoring at that rate of speed and doing it more than legibly, even sightly ? 



There’s nothing slow about the Zaner Method except its recognition by superintendents who have been mis¬ 
lead by competition and road agent supervisors. 



Thirty-four words of five letters each is crowding the typewriter.—A little less speed and 
form would be more than legible. Watch out for a year hence! 



7-B Grade—Form, 60%; Movement. 131% (172 letters); Quality, 97% 








